About the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation mobilizes people and resources to provide access to high quality care and leads research for a cure so people with pulmonary fibrosis will live longer, healthier lives. The PFF collaborates with physicians, organizations, patients and caregivers worldwide. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Better Business Bureau accredited charity. PFF Summit 2017: From Bench to Bedside, PFF’s fourth biennial international health care conference, will be held November 9-11, 2017. For more information, visit pulmonaryfibrosis.org.

About Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a family of more than 200 different lung diseases that all look very much alike. The PF family of lung diseases falls into an even larger group of diseases called “interstitial lung diseases.” The word “pulmonary” means “lung” and “fibrosis” means scar tissue – so in its simplest sense, pulmonary fibrosis means scarring in the lungs.

In PF, scar tissue builds up in the walls of the air sacs of the lungs, and eventually the scar tissue makes it hard for oxygen to get into the blood. Low oxygen levels (and the stiff scar tissue itself) can cause shortness of breath, particularly when walking and exercising.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive disease, which means it tends to worsen over time. However, every individual diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis has a unique experience with the disease and there is no “standard” or expected clinical course. Some people with PF remain stable for extended periods of time; others may experience a rapid progression of symptoms; while others may experience a stepwise deterioration over time, fluctuating between periods of stability and worsening symptoms. Therefore, PF treatment strategies are highly individualized, based on a person’s medical history. With no known cure, the disease is often fatal within three to five years of diagnosis. The good news for people living with PF is that there are treatments designed to specifically manage the symptoms of the disease and researchers are studying new ways to halt its progression.